Aircraft such as commercial airliners typically include control surfaces or devices mounted on the wings to improve the aerodynamic performance of the aircraft. Such control surfaces include wing leading edge devices and wing trailing edge devices, which may be extended and/or deflected during different phases of flight to alter the lift and/or drag characteristics of the wings. For example, commercial airliners typically include leading edge slats and trailing edge flaps which may be extended and retracted during takeoff, approach, landing, and other flight phases to alter the wing lift characteristics.
During certain flight phases, the flight crew typically performs a large number of tasks during a relatively short period of time. For example, during the approach phase and landing phase of a flight, the flight crew may perform multiple tasks for reconfiguring the aircraft in preparation for landing. Such reconfiguration tasks may include periodically altering the engine thrust setting, arming the spoilers, lowering the landing gear, and other tasks. In addition, the flight crew may need to review instrument landing charts, assess weather conditions at the destination airport, adjust the altimeter, communicate with air traffic control, and continuously monitor the operation of various systems.
Furthermore, during approach and landing, the flight crew may need to make multiple crew-commanded adjustments to the position of the leading and trailing edge devices. The repositioning of the leading and trailing edge devices are typically performed at specific airspeed trigger points. In addition, the positions of the leading and trailing edge devices may be adjusted based on pilot judgment in consideration of maximum operating speeds (e.g., flap placard speeds), instructions from air traffic control, and other considerations.
Conventional aircraft typically allow for extending the leading and trailing edge devices to a limited number of settings for a given flight phase. For example, during takeoff, conventional aircraft may allow for extending the flaps only to a single flap setting, such as a takeoff setting of Flaps 15. Such a takeoff setting may be based on a maximum takeoff weight aircraft with engines operating at maximum takeoff thrust and departing from a standard length runway at sea level. However, the aircraft may have an actual takeoff weight that may be less than the maximum takeoff weight such that the Flaps 15 setting may result in operating the engines at an unnecessarily high thrust setting which may contribute to engine wear and generate excessive engine noise. In addition, positioning the flaps at a flap setting of Flaps 15 may generate a climb rate that is above or below what may be desired and/or required for obstacle or engine-out climb requirements.
As such, there may be a need for improved system and methods for adjusting the position of leading and/or trailing edge devices of aircraft.